Frozen Assetsby Gregg Elliot

Genre:DramaSwearwords: A couple of strong ones.Description:An old and dying man has become rich enough to throw the dice against death itself._____________________________________________________________________Donald McBride had lived a life most only dreamed about. He had made his first million with a publishing company that specialised in conspiracy theories. Not that he himself was interested in such things, but he had the vision to see in the early 90’s how internet technology could bring mainly baseless ideas to masses of people. His story of success was from the annals of the underdog. Those who despite the odds overcome their limitations and go on to command their lives in wealth and for the most part happiness. They say health is greater than wealth and for ‘The Don’, as his kids called him, this was particularly true. His parents had grown up in the dank and dismal areas of the Glasgow slums, where abject poverty brought with it disease, disease that Donald in later life could not escape. Bitterly he knew that his own children also would not escape his epigenetic legacy. As he now lay in his death bed in his luxurious villa, he felt comforted by the presence of his family. His wife Georgia fussed around him, fluffing pillows, wiping the saliva from his chin. His two girls Alicia and Juliet sat at either side of his bed, Alicia stifling her sobbing whilst Juliet told stories about her day. Of the three reactions, Donald admired Juliet’s the most. She was talking about how she dumped her boyfriend because he wore cream coloured shoes to her birthday party. ‘Such little things they seem when you’re not old and dying,’ Donald thought. His wife, he could tell, was in “busy mode”, running from the sense of imminent loss that abrasively attempted to crash its way into her conscious awareness. How he wished he could speak words of wisdom to the girls and consoling sentiments to his wife but all he could do now was share his gaze. For the second stroke had claimed his voice and his bodily functions. The demise of Donald McBride was not a dignified one. His solicitor Liam Beckett and a doctor entered the room just as one of his nurses was checking if Donald needed changed. ‘Must have just been a little wind,’ she said to his wife as the solicitor stood over the bed holding a piece of paper. ‘In accordance with Mr McBride’s wishes I am here to read out a statement on his behalf.’ His wife and daughters looked with surprise at Donald, the piece of paper and then expectantly at the solicitor. ‘I will begin, “Over the years I have, perhaps, not been the best father or husband. However, I want you all to know that I love you and gratefully appreciate your presence in my life, so far. I say ‘so far’ because I aim not to be dead for very long. Last year when I was told of my certain death I did a bit of research into cryogenics. To my surprise this area of technology has evolved fast. It is my last will and testimony that, upon my death my body will be put into storage at the CryoCorp facility. I will be preserved until such times in the future when they are able to cure all my ills. As I have stated previously, I have enjoyed so much the presence of your company that my family will also have a place at CryoCorp. This service was not cheap, and as a result cost me half of my savings and assets. In order to expand CryoCorp’s research and hasten the likelihood of my resurrection I have invested the other half of my money in its stocks and shares.”’At this statement Juliet let out a gasp and turned to her mother. ‘Is this a practical joke?’ she said. Donald’s wife looked blankly at her husband and monotonously said, ‘Can’t be, you know your Father isn’t a joking man.’ ‘Then it’s true?’ Juliet whinged. ‘He’s just fucked our inheritance into a fucking freezer company!’Donald was staring hard into the eyes of the solicitor until he noticed, cleared his throat with a cough and said, ‘Let me carry on. “I know this may come as a surprise and even a shock to you, but I have thought long and hard about this decision and have been over the fine details with my business manager. We expect to get a ten per cent return in the first year, and up to forty per cent in the next five. That means that you will be financially better off in the long run. Furthermore, we all have a chance to be together again in the future. One more thing you must know is that a team will arrive to collect my body. Please give them the space to do their job as time will be of the essence. I love you all and will see you in the future, The Don.” And that’s the end,’ the solicitor concluded. ‘See, it’s not so bad, Jules,’ Donald’s wife said. ‘Just a year and we’ll have a return. And more importantly we won’t be losing your father, not for good anyhow.’ She turned to her husband, whose eyes were attempting to analyse his family’s response, and gave him a warm smile. As he appreciated his wife’s eternal beauty Donald felt his heart begin to slump and spasm. The external sight must have been a frightening one, for his daughters stood bolt upright as the doctor rushed at him. ‘Clear the way please,’ he said as he performed some checks. The doctor administered something via a syringe and while Donald felt his heart relax the doctor stepped closer to the solicitor and whispered, ‘If those Cryo people are coming they had better come soon!’ ‘I’ll call them again. I left a message on their answer phone. They’re supposed to respond within twenty minutes!’ The solicitor pressed a number on his mobile and put it to his ear. ‘…ah yes hello, this is Mr McBride’s solicitor. I left a message…what? Yes, it’s concerning a client! No I have not seen the news, can you tell me where the…’ The solicitor’s face grew as grave as Donald’s. ‘…everyone you must hear this! I’m putting you on loud speaker.’ The solicitor moved closer to the bed and pressed a button. The voice started, ‘My sincere apologies to you and your family, Mr McBride, but as of today CryoCorp is in liquidation. It’s all over the news, a new discovery from Dr Aubery De Gray and his research team…they have cured death, disease, it’s amazing really. Eh, but unfortunately it’s resulted in CryoCorp’s shares plummeting. We are out of business! We barely have enough to bring the previous clients out of cryo-stasis to receive the new treatment.’Donald again felt his heart sink and spasm as it felt like his chest was being wrenched out of his back. ‘This is an outrage,’ the solicitor shouted. ‘My client has paid for a service and he is in need of that service right now!’ The voice responded, now weaker of tone, ‘I’m afraid we don’t have the resources to collect Mr McBride, you can pursue the monies rendered through the courts. I’m sorry…look I have to go, the phone is ringing off the hook.’ And with that the voice had disappeared.Everyone stood, paused in temporary suspended animation. Juliet broke the silence, ‘So what does that mean?’ Her mother sat next to Donald and held his hand. ‘It means we need to say goodbye.’ Donald could no longer see his wife, but could feel her strong grip on his hand and could hear her wonderful voice. Consciousness was like the tide going out. Soon he would be among the unfathomable depths of darkness. As the remnants of awareness crashed upon the shores of reality he was truly in awe. A tangible happiness, that his family would never have to suffer this experience, was infused with an equally palatable sadness that he would not share life with them. ‘Is that selfish?’ His last thought as he faded forevermore.

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About the Author

Born and still living in Drumchapel in Glasgow, Gregg Elliot is currently Studying Psychology and Philosophy at The University of Glasgow. Although he has enjoyed writing fiction throughout his life, he now feels ready to begin the journey to becoming a published writer.